Grief and Comfort. With solarsteel.

[dp_lois]

She barely paid attention to the rest of the meeting. She'd moved over to stand by the stained glass window, staring at it blankly and not noticing as the others began to filter out of the room one by one. The video of Ollie had seemed to snap her cousin into a strangely focused, in-control leader. Which had probably been part of Oliver's

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[solarsteel]

It had taken Clark a little while to shrug off the urge to go out and patrol by himself. Keeping an eye on the three females inhabiting the Watchtower was priority one for him, even above and beyond keeping the streets of his adopted city safe.

There were half thought out plans to make chowder once AC had vacated the building, and the fact that Clark had even mentioned making fish-based food earlier in the day could attest to his own state of mind. He'd have to apologize to the Floridian later and make amends for the insult. But right now he was worried about Lois.

Of all of them, she was the true civilian, remaining as untouched as possible by the regular rogues gallery that filed past each and every day. She was also Oliver's ex, and while that relationship had never worked out, Clark was very much aware of how highly the two thought of each other.

Just one of the reasons he made his way over to her once the talk had died down, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "How are you holding up?"

[dp_lois]

She knew even before he spoke whose hand had landed on her shoulder. She was also very much aware of the fact he was the one person on the face of the planet that it would be damn near impossible to pretend with. But that certainly didn't mean she wasn't going to at least try.

Lois turned to look at him, forcing a smile and not quite meeting his eyes. "I'm all right. It's kind of cold in here." She glanced past him, trying to spot Chloe and Mia, but not seeing either of them. Her eyebrows furrowed a little. "Where'd they go? Maybe I should turn the heat up. Do you know where the thermostat is?"

[solarsteel]

Haha. Clark figured he'd have his first ever heart attack if Lois played docile and admitted to whatever she was thinking at any given time instead of making him drag it out of her like so many loose teeth. Lois was Lois was Lois. It would never change.

"I'm not sure. Probably to lean on each other, at least I hope so." He stared down at her face, marking all the little signs that told him she was lying through her teeth and trying to evade anything spelled comfort. "You can stop being strong this once and lean on me." Clark might have even meant literally. "That's what I'm here for."

[dp_lois]

No, it would never change. Unless she happened to hit her head and get amnesia. Lois Lane being synonymous with stubborn and difficult was a universal invariant.

She shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of his stare. "Hey, I'm fine, Smallville. I'm just worried about everyone else." She shrugged a little.

[dp_lois]

Her arms tightened around him at the whispered admission. "You have me," Lois whispered back. The feel of his arms around her was comforting. Solid. Safe. Her own tears wet the sleeve of his shirt. "I need you, too."

[solarsteel]

She knew him. Had known him for five years. It was a relief to know there wasn't a demand for explanations waiting in the wings, Lois would simply accept his weirdness and move on. Not that he wanted her to move at all right now.

"Thank you." Beat. "You have me, too, Lo. Always."

[dp_lois]

She nodded against him, closing her eyes once more. For as well as she knew him, he knew her every bit as well. And she didn't have any desire to move either.

"Ditto," she whispered. "I'm always here for you."

[solarsteel]

He stood like that for a few minutes, allowing the tears that truly marked him as a man between worlds to continue falling until the ache inside his chest eased up slightly. Only then did he straighten up, clearing his throat in embarrassment.

"Come on. You should get some sleep." His expression was shifting now, too, towards stern.